


Stealth

by 00AwkwardPenguin00



Series: Dragon of the Yuyan [5]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Gen, Hijinks & Shenanigans, handwaving Fire Nation war tech because I can't find satisfying answers, plot is minimal but existent, this part is almost entirely "teenagers doing stupid shit", what did you expect when you put a bunch of highly skilled teenagers in a military base?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-15
Updated: 2020-02-29
Packaged: 2021-02-28 03:15:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,769
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22737058
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/00AwkwardPenguin00/pseuds/00AwkwardPenguin00
Summary: The first time is because of a prank.The second time is because of a dare.The third time is because of an injustice.orThree times Zuko wears the Blue Spirit mask.
Relationships: Zuko & Chihese Squad (OCs), Zuko & Kai (OC), Zuko & Kai (OC) & Jiyoti (OC), Zuko & The Yuyan Archers
Series: Dragon of the Yuyan [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1582384
Comments: 406
Kudos: 4461
Collections: Finished111





	1. The Prank

**Author's Note:**

  * For [MuffinLance](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MuffinLance/gifts).



> So this will (hopefully) be the only chaptered work in this series, but it was getting away from me length-wise and I didn't want to go for too long without posting _something_. Many thanks to my pals @flameo_hotman and @haicrescendo for helping me work out the kinks and cheering me on!

The first time is because of a prank.

It’s Zuko’s second summer in Pouhai, his first as a cadet Yuyan Archer. Chihese Squad is strolling down the main drag of the closest colony town, on 48-hour leave for the Summer Solstice. It’s the first time that Zuko’s been out of the Stronghold for anything other than training since his arrival, the first time he’s been in an actual town since he was kicked out of the Caldera. The sights and sounds and smells are overwhelming, but not nearly as much as the _crowds_.

There are _so many people_ at this festival. Which, okay, the Summer Solstice is basically _the_ event of the Fire Nation calendar, being the longest day of the year and the day Agni granted firebending to the Dragons, so obviously _everyone_ is going to want to join in the festivities, but Zuko can't remember having been around this many people _ever_.

Kai never lets go of his hand as he drags Zuko from food stall to musician to puppet show. There are firebending displays, and stalls full of crafts and decorations for sale. Everyone around is dressed in their best robes, and everything is a profusion of shades of red and yellow and black.

Zuko pulls Kai to a stop in front of a booth displaying stuffed cloth animals, and they spend a while petting them and poking each other with soft cloth beaks and snouts and flippers and quizzing each other on the hand-language signs for them. One such creature, a turtle-duckling with creamy tan markings and a brilliant green shell, seems to call to Zuko, and he picks it up and runs his fingertips gently over its head. It fits perfectly in his hand, just the right size to slip into a rucksack and not take up too much space, and for the first time in over a year his chest tightens and his eyes burn with the force of his longing for _home_ and his mother's garden and the turtle-duck pond. Without even thinking, he cuddles the turtle-duckling to himself and turns to Kai.

 _ **Nice**_ , Kai complements him with a large grin. _**You gonna get it?**_

Zuko nods, and turns to the booth's proprietor, holding out the turtle-duck and giving the man his best puma kitten eyes.

"Take it easy with those eyes, kid," he laughs. "Normally the plushes that size are ten copper, but I'll let ya have it for five. Solstice spirit and all."

Zuko grins and hands over the five copper coins. They bow to each other with the Flame, and then Zuko and Kai head off to meet up with the rest of the squad for dinner, the turtle-duck firmly clasped against Zuko's chest.

They catch up to Hiroki, Mika, and Jiyoti sitting in a square filled with tables and ringed with food booths. All three have cups of Solstice punch, a deep red drink made with coconut arrack and red wine. Kai attempts to swipe Jiyoti's cup, but she easily slaps his hand away.

 _ **Go get your own, leech**_ , she commands, ignoring his pout.

 _ **Me too?**_ Zuko asks.

 _ **No.**_ Hiroki's fingers and thumb snap shut in a sharp emphatic movement as he frowns deeply at Zuko. _**You're too young.**_

 _ **This is strong stuff, Zuko**_ , Mika signs with more gentleness, her expression sympathetic but firm. _**Maybe in a couple of years.**_

 _ **What did you get?**_ Jiyoti asks, peering at the turtle-duck plush perched on Zuko's head. Zuko graciously allows the subject change, brushing off the tabletop in front of him and placing the turtle-duck on it. His face heats a little bit, because he's nearly fifteen, too old for stuffed toys, but Jiyoti's eyes are sparkling as she asks permission to pet it, and Mika has a soft, indulgent smile on her face like he's done something cute, and even Hiroki's smirk is gentle and warm as he leans back in his seat and nurses his cup.

At that moment, Zheng and his cronies, twins Shiori and Takeshi, pass by their table. Zheng takes one look at Zuko's turtle-duck and sneers. _**Aw, does the little baby street-rat need someone to cuddle with?**_ He signs, making a gross kissy-face like he's talking to an infant. _**Maybe the Commander should've sent you to an orphanage with the other unwanted colony spawn. At least there you'd have fit in with the other brats.**_

 _ **Shut up and get lost, Zheng!**_ Kai snaps out, gritting his teeth in a silent snarl at the older private.

Zheng smirks and raises his hands to continue signing, but Hiroki turns and pins the younger man with a glare. _**I believe you were on your way, Private?**_ He signs slowly and clearly, as though Zheng is stupid and barely able to comprehend hand-speech. Zheng's jaw clenches, but he's not stupid enough to try anything against a Captain, and he storms off with a huff, the twins following in his wake.

Zuko hugs the turtle-duck to his chest and stares down at its eyes, embroidered in shiny black silk thread. He really is entirely too old for toys, and has been for years, but the thought of giving up his new companion is too much to contemplate. Aside from his dagger from Uncle, it's his only link to his life Before. Life Before had been hard, and lonely, and painful, but there had been good things, too, like Uncle's tearoom, Mom's garden, and the turtle-ducks in the pond. Life Now is so much better, even with idiots like Zheng bugging him, but he still sometimes misses those good things from Before.

Someone pokes Zuko in the shoulder, and he looks up to see Kai grinning at him. _**So what're you going to name it?**_ The older boy asks, gently rubbing the turtle-duck's head with a fingertip.

Zuko looks at the brilliant green cloth of the turtle-duck's shell, and thinks of the brilliant green leaves that some of the food vendors wrap meat and fish in before grilling, and spells out _**P-a-n-d-a-n.**_

The squad finishes their drinks, and Zuko and Kai have a quick rice-cake eating contest which ends in a tie when the rice-cake seller refuses to give them any more. They stroll through the festival together, and Mika and Hiroki take turns grabbing Kai's collar to prevent him from running off after whatever happens to catch his eye. They find an excellent spot to watch the Lion-Turtle and Dragon dances, and Zuko's face hurts with all of his grinning. Pandan the Turtle-Duck is tucked securely under his collar where he can see the dances as well.

After the festival fireworks finish echoing over the town, the squad wanders its way back towards the Stronghold, riding the flow of humanity away from the main drag of the town. Very quickly the crushing press of so many people rubs Zuko's last nerve, and he grabs Kai and drags him over next to a closing stall to wait out the crowds. They amuse themselves (and the stall's owner who watches them with an air of tolerant bemusement) by trying on masks and trying to scare each other.

 _ **Hey Danger Noodle, check this out!**_ Kai signs, and holds up a mask painted with blue lacquer and dominated by a wide creepy grin edged with sharp-looking tusks.

 _ **Wow, that's so creepy looking!**_ Zuko exclaims, taking the mask from Kai and holding it up to his face. Kai's eyes go wide, and then narrow in a sly grin.

_**Spirits, I wouldn't want to meet this thing somewhere dark and spooky.** _

Zuko knows that look, and answers it with his own narrow-eyed glare. _**What are you thinking?**_

Kai shrugs, leaning nonchalantly against the stall. _**I don't know, I just think it would be kind of hilarious if Zheng were to have an… encounter… with the spirit of this mask.**_

Zuko holds the mask and considers it. He's widely acknowledged to be the best shadow-walker in the Troop (a lifetime of avoiding Azula will do that), and honestly, he owes Zheng a good scare for all of the bullshit the older private says to him.

Zuko and Kai smirk at each other. Zuko pays for the mask and slips it under his tunic, and they head back to the Stronghold. Hiroki scolds them for getting separated from the rest of the squad, then sends them off to get cleaned up for bed. He and Kai share the ofuro and make their plan.

Zuko dresses in the charcoal-colored tunic and trousers he'd brought to the bathing room, fastening them loosely as sleeping clothes. After waiting a few hours for Banli Squad to go on guard duty, Zuko slips out of bed and back to the bathroom, where he dons the mask and adjusts his clothes to make them more snug for shadow-walking. Kai meets him in the bathroom and gives him an impressed thumbs up.

 _ **Awesome!**_ He signs. _**Zheng's going to freak out. Might want to tie your hair back, though.**_

Zuko's hair now just brushes his shoulders, still shorter than it was Before, but not by much. His phoenix plume had been cut and his entire head shaved after the Agni Kai, partly to make treating the burn easier, and partly to display exactly how far from favor he'd fallen. It doesn’t grow anymore where the burn has destroyed the roots, but Zuko knows how to tie it back so that his uneven hairline and shriveled ear are covered, and does so while Kai holds his mask. He replaces the mask, and Kai nods in satisfaction.

 _ **I listened in on the patrol route brief**_ , he signs, hands quick and eyes bright with eagerness. _**Zheng’s by himself.**_

 _ **Any idea where he is now?**_ Zuko asks. He has to exaggerate his body language a bit to make up for the facial expressions that are hidden by the mask.

Kai shrugs, the gesture imitated by Zuko, and together they creep out of the bathroom to hunt down their quarry.

They find Zheng slumped half asleep behind some crates near the storerooms. The setup could not be more perfect.

Kai tiptoes away as Zuko crouches in the shadows on the other side of the crates, and then starts fiddling with the lock on one of the storerooms. The sounds reach Zheng, who rouses with an annoyed grunt. The older private stomps towards the storeroom to investigate, and Kai has plenty of time to slip away into the shadows. Zuko matches his own silent footsteps to Zheng’s ridiculous komodo-rhino stomps, following close behind.

Zheng holds up his lantern and examines the lock before snorting in derision. Zuko braces himself.

Zheng turns around.

The positively girly screech Zheng lets out makes Zuko grin like a madman under his mask. Zheng stumbles back, and as soon as he’s out of the small circle of light produced by the lantern Zuko turns on his heel and bounds soundlessly over to where Kai is shaking from the effort of holding back his giggles. They tap their fists together and watch Zheng attempt to explain himself to the regular guards who came running at his shriek.

Zuko scares Zheng again on the innermost wall-walk, hanging upside down from the roof of a guard pavilion. And again in that one dark service corridor everyone hates. And again behind the catapult shed. Zheng shrieks every single time, and Zuko and Kai delight in watching him having to defend himself to the increasingly impatient guards with hands that tremble a little more with each encounter. By the end of Banli Squad’s guard shift, Zheng is a walking ball of shattered nerves, and Zuko and Kai are in bed and “asleep” when the older private staggers into the dorm.

The next morning, Zuko and Kai hide their grins as Zheng is forced to endure the regular guards teasing about his “haunting” by a “blue spirit”. Zheng tries to insist that he’d at least once managed to draw a weapon on the ghost, but this is only true in the sense that he’d had a knife in his hand but had dropped it when the alleged spirit had caused him to trip and fall into a manure pile near the rhino stables, and the guards are quick to point this out to raucous laughter. Zheng continues to attempt to defend his honor, but the roasting continues and increases in force until the archer finally storms out of the mess hall in a humiliated fury.

Zuko and Kai smirk at each other, and tap their fists together under the table. _Mission accomplished._

That is the first time.


	2. The Dare

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thanks to the Church of the Fire Bending Elbow discord server for egging me on with this

The second time is because of a dare.

It’s not officially on his duty roster, and hasn’t been for nearly six months, but Zuko always tries to visit the komodo-rhino stables at least four or five times a week. Stablemaster Guo appreciates the help—there are eight rhinos, and only three stablehands and him. The Stronghold doesn’t have a dedicated cavalry troop that would take care of the rhinos as part of their official duties, and the rhinos themselves are mostly used to help hail supplies from the harbor once or twice a month. In the meantime, the rhinos have to be fed, watered, exercised, and have their stalls mucked, as well as their health and training maintained and their tack serviced, all at least once a day but often several times a day. With only four people officially assigned to the stables and so much work to be done, there’s little time leftover for anyone to really give the poor beasts the individual attention they need. So Zuko does his best to fill in the gaps, spending as much time as he can spare giving the huge animals pets and rubbing their long horns with oiled cloths to keep them smooth and shiny.

Kai sometimes hangs out in the stables, well away from the animals who like to tease him by grunting threateningly at him and poking at him with their horns. Kai’s first experience with komodo-rhinos came from this herd, and they have long memories.

Today Zuko is brushing shed skin off of Daisy, one of the more docile rhinos, while Kai sits on a hay bale and makes color commentary. Another friend of theirs, an apprentice mechanic named Min-Seo, leans in the stables’ open doorway with her arms crossed and her nose wrinkled.

“Ugh, I don't get why you like these things," Min-Seo complains. "Smelly, dumb as rocks, and you actually have to train them to do what you want? At least with a tank, if it's not doing something right, you can take it apart and fix it."

Zuko shoots Min-Seo a dirty look as Kai shakes from the force of his silent laughter. _**Don't listen to the mean grease hog-monkey,**_ he signs to Daisy, who stares calmly at him out of one half-lidded eye as she chews on some feed. _**You're a good rhino, and nobody is taking you apart.**_ He rubs her behind the ear and continues removing the shed skin from her scaly hide with his soft brush.

He's so focused on his work (rhinos shed a LOT) that he misses most of the conversation, but there's no way he can miss Min-Seo's challenge.

"I dare you to take one of the tanks for a joyride," she crows, and Zuko peeks over Daisy's head to gulp at Min-Seo's toothy grin. "I'll slip you the key to the garage during dinner tonight. It should be easy to do a lap around the Central Tower, since it's so simple to drive, right?"

_**You're on!**_ Kai signs, grinning back.

Zuko rests his forehead against Daisy's shoulder and pinches his nose. _Agni help me._

Min-Seo does indeed drop off the key to the garage where the tanks are stored at dinnertime, dropping it down the collar of Kai’s tunic as she nonchalantly places a hand on the back of his neck and giggles weirdly. The whole thing kind of makes Zuko want to gag, but they have the key and now all they need to do is wait for light’s out.

It’s not until they’re standing in the cockpit of their chosen tank that they realize their (Kai’s) mistake.

The tank needs three people to drive it—two to steer, and one (usually a firebender) to stoke the engine. They look at each other and climb out, standing on top of the thing and debating who to ask to be their third.

The sound of snapping fingers slices through the silence of the garage and sends a jolt down Zuko’s spine. He and Kai freeze, staring at each other for a split second, before turning and looking down.

Jiyoti stands beside their tank, staring up at them with the most unimpressed expression Zuko has ever seen on her face. _**What do you two idiots think you’re doing?**_

_**Kai was dared to try and drive a tank around the Central Tower, but we need a third person,**_ Zuko signs immediately, scowling. _**I can't babysit the engine and drive at the same time.**_

_**Forget it, Danger Noodle, Jiyoti's too much of a goody-goody to help us.**_ Kai rubs his hand over his face, and if he was wearing his Yuyan facepaint it would be all smeared. _**Ugh, I'm going to have to tell Min-Seo we couldn't do it, she's going to be all smug and insufferable.**_

_**Wait, Min-Seo dared you to drive a tank?**_ Jiyoti asks, brow furrowing.

Zuko blinks. _**Yeah?**_

The scowl on Jiyoti's face is one that Zuko's never seen her wear before. _**Get in the tank, losers, we've got a grease-hog-monkey to show up.**_

Kai and Zuko exchange a baffled glance, and get in the tank.

Zuko takes his place in the center of the cockpit above the grate where the engine fire is meant to burn. Kai and Jiyoti each take a driver's seat.

_Nice mask, Zuko,_ Jiyoti taps out, switching to the signal-language the Yuyan use when too far away to see hand-language. It's primarily used with signal lamps, but the short and long bursts translate equally between light and sound.

Zuko slips his Blue Spirit mask back down over his face, smoothing out the snug hood he's wearing underneath to cover his hair. _Thanks,_ he taps out in return. _Ignition in three… two… one!_

He forces fire from his feet through the grate, directly heating the boilers that run the tank. Firebending like this, without a form to guide the chi flow, is more difficult than he'd anticipated, but he keeps his breathing deep and even and steady and pretends that he's using the fire jet technique to fly. This actually works slightly _too_ well, and he has to hold on tight to the handrails that encircle the grate to keep his balance.

The boilers heat up quickly, and soon they're chugging out of the garage (Jiyoti makes Kai hop out and close the garage door behind them) and well on their merry way around the base of the Central Tower. Zuko's not sure why no one has stopped them yet, and he's not really sure what they'd do if they are, since he _can't_ speak and Kai and Jiyoti took vows when they joined the Archers that they _wouldn't_.

They complete the circle around the Central Tower, and something feels… unfinished. The three youngest members of Chihese Squad pause.

_Tank has grap hook,_ Zuko taps out.

_Park tank on roof?_ Kai asks.

_Aim for finial,_ Jiyoti suggests.

As the most consistently accurate one of the three, Kai mans the tank's grappling hook, and hooks the ornate rod on the Stronghold roof on the first try.

_Zuko, hold on tight,_ Jiyoti taps. She and Kai are strapped into their seats, but Zuko's still too short to sit in his position's seat and still firebend into the boiler cavity without the possibility of flames escaping. The tank jerks as the winch starts forcing the contraption up, and Zuko finds himself sitting on the edge of the grate platform, keeping his feet flat against the grate and hugging the railing for dear life. His fire sputters for a second as he gasps in surprise, but he quickly finds his rhythm again.

The winch does not work fast, and Zuko has plenty of time to consider the fact that they're hanging in a metal contraption in thin air, suspended only by a chain hooked around a decorative lightning rod, and he has to focus on his breathing before the terror overwhelms the exhilaration.

Finally, the tank shudders as first the front tread axle, then the back, hits the steeply sloped Stronghold roof. Jiyoti deploys the dozen telescoping spikes that ensure the tank stays in place, and Kai disengages the grappling hook from the finial and winches it back. Zuko douses his firebending and even attempts to suck the heat out of the boilers, with mixed success.

_**Well, now what?**_ Jiyoti signs. _**We got the infernal machine on the roof, but how do we get down?**_

_**There's a hatch for roof access somewhere around here,**_ Zuko signs, remembering his forays into the walls and ductwork of the complex. _**We need to hurry, sunrise is in about four hours.**_

They gingerly exit the tank, and Zuko finds the roof access hatch. With all of the stealth trained into them by the Archers, the three make it back to the dorm without alerting anyone to their presence.

_**Thanks losers, that was great, let's never do it again,**_ Jiyoti signs before slipping into bed.

**_Spoilsport,_** Kai tosses back, flopping onto his own bed.

Zuko slips his mask and hood into his footlocker, pulls off his boots and lines them up under the foot of his bed, and loosens his clothes until they turn back into sleepwear. He'll be awake again in about three hours, but as soon as his head touches his pillow and Pandan is in his arms he's deeply asleep.

The next morning, the entire Stronghold is buzzing like a vulture-wasp nest, and Zuko, Kai, and Jiyoti are nursing the strongest wake-up tea they can bribe out of the kitchen. On their way out to PT with the rest of the squad, they pass nearly the entire Stronghold Tank Corps, clustered in the center of the Innermost Courtyard and all staring up at the Stronghold roof in shocked bafflement.

Min-Seo turns her wide eyes on Zuko and Kai as they pass, and Kai gives her his best smirk as he and Zuko tap their knuckled fists together. _Mission accomplished._

That is the second time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ROOF TANK


	3. The Injustice

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, I'm not perfectly _happy_ with this one, but it's done and I'm sick of looking at it, so here.
> 
> **YEET** _chucks chapter at AO3 and runs away_

The third time is because of an injustice.

After ten months of living in the Stronghold, he has the entire complex mapped out in his mind, every room and corridor, and every possible means of entrance and exit for all of them. He knows that the higher up the Central Tower one goes, the higher one's rank must be to be permitted entrance. Colonel Shinu's office, and the offices kept for visiting officials on military business, are on the second highest level. The highest security holding cells, the ones meant to hold powerful benders, are on the highest level. Zuko visits both those levels every couple of months, to keep his hand in and keep the soldiers assigned for guard duty on their toes.

Right now, though, he's in a much lower level of the Tower, in the vents above the dorm occupied by one of the companies of infantry that are stationed long-term at the Stronghold. Jun Company, if he remembers correctly. The company is on downtime, and most of the soldiers are gathered around their captain's bunk as he hands out their mail. Once the captain is finished with his task, the crowd disperses and he picks up his own scroll.

The soldiers read their letters eagerly, commenting on bits of news, both good and bad, from their families and friends. Zuko listens intently, curious at what life is like for people outside the palace city or the Stronghold. A lot of the soldiers of Jun Company come from the outer islands of the Fire Nation archipelago, and their news involves lots of boats and fishing and weather. Many others come from towns and cities on islands deeper in, and they talk more about trade, and crafting, and complaints about various officials. Everyone talks about their parents, siblings, children, spouses. On the whole, everyone seems pretty pleased with what they read, although some are simply happy to hear from their loved ones, even if their news is bad.

However, the captain in the corner growls and crumples his letter in his hands.

"Everything okay, Captain Daichi?" A nearby sergeant asks.

"My aunt says they haven't received any of my cousin's death gratuity, and it's been over a year," the captain sighs, placing his head in his hands.

"Your cousin was in the 41st Division, right Cap?" Another soldier asks, and Zuko's blood freezes in his veins. "My sister said that one of her neighbors had a kid in the 41st, and they haven't heard or gotten diddly squat after the initial death notice."

Other members of the company chime in with comments as well, all similar in subject: none of the families they know who had a son or daughter in the 41st Division have gotten the payment of gold the survivors of soldiers killed on active duty are owed, nor have they gotten any notice of when they can expect it.

Zuko slips away, shimmying back to a spot he can exit the vent, and then sticking to the shadows as he retreats to the Yuyan dorm. Various members of the Troop glance his way, but aside from a few waves of greeting, no one bothers him. He slips into his bunk, hugging Pandan to his chest and pulling the blanket over his head.

Zuko has to breathe shallowly to keep his firebending from responding to his fury. It's bad enough that Father (should he even _call_ him that anymore? Commander Toshiaki and Captain Hiroki have acted more like fathers in the months he's known them than Fire Lord Ozai has acted in _years_ ) has gone ahead with the horrible plan to kill an entire division full of kids _Kai's_ age for no reason at all; but to not even compensate their families for the trauma of losing their loved ones? Or even tell the survivors _why_ they're not being compensated? Zuko knows, in an intellectual way, that some people join the Fire Nation Armed Forces not only for patriotism, but as a way to support their families. As bad as it would be to lose a loved one, and Zuko knows all too well how badly that hurts, it must be at least as horrible to lose the income that person provided, and to not at least get an explanation _why_ … it would look like the Fire Lord doesn't care about the lives that could be in danger because they have no way to make ends meet.

And Zuko knows that the Fire Lord _doesn't_ care, but the _people_ don't know that, and the Fire Lord can't afford to alienate such a huge swath of the Fire Nation's population. He would have ensured that proper protocol was followed, if only to keep up the appearance of a sympathetic and benevolent ruler to his people who sacrifice so much for their nation.

Which means that something within the bureaucracy has gone wrong. And Zuko is going to find out just exactly what.

A few more days of spying around the infantry barracks and asking some carefully worded questions, and Zuko is positive that this is more than just a bureaucratic mistake. The problem is too widespread and affecting too many people. But _knowing_ about a problem and being able to _do_ anything about it are two different things, and the first is far easier than the second.

Until the Finance Ministry official arrives at the Stronghold.

He comes in a fancy carriage pulled by a dragon-moose, wearing Caldera Court robes instead of sensible traveling clothes, and clutching a box to his chest. He demands to be taken immediately to see Colonel Shinu, and is promptly escorted into the Central Tower. Zuko is immediately burning with curiosity and suspicion, and slips away. Ten minutes later, he's laying motionless in the vent that opens into Colonel Shinu's office, listening to the official (Sota by name) announce that he will be conducting a financial audit of the Stronghold and its operations, and requires a secure office in which to conduct his work. Colonel Shinu's face turns to stone at this pronouncement, but he can't really say _no_ , since doing so would make the slimy rat-viper think that he has something to hide and be that much more obnoxious about his audit. Easier and less headache to just let the guy do his thing and get him out of everyone’s hair as quickly as possible.

Except that he _doesn’t_ get out of everyone’s hair. Zuko watches as Minister Sota moves into an office, and continues watching for a month, but the minister never shows any visible sign of moving out. Zuko’s suspicions continue to grow with each passing day. He doesn’t know how long it takes to perform an audit of a base’s finances, but he can’t imagine it taking more than two or three weeks, since Colonel Shinu keeps impeccable records and ensures that his entire command staff does the same. Commander Toshiaki takes two days to compile his report on the Troop’s finances—Zuko knows this because the Commander asked him to assist the last two times it had to be done. The only reason it takes that long at all is because the Commander, who can perform archery tricks that should be impossible according to every known law of physics, has to write down every equation before he can laboriously calculate them with his fingers. Minister Sota’s job is _all_ about mathematics, it shouldn’t take him over a month to check calculations that are already complete.

And then there’s the minister’s behavior. He’s as snooty and insufferable as anyone can expect a government official to be, but he also refuses to allow Stronghold custodial staff to clean the office he occupies without his direct supervision, declines any and all invitations to join the Colonel for dinner or even a drink in his quarters, and creeps around the Stronghold like he constantly expects someone to drag him off to be fed to tigerdilloes at any moment. As far as Zuko can tell by listening to the mutterings of the Stronghold's clerks, Minister Sota is ordering financial ledgers to be delivered to his office, and then when he orders them removed, they appear as though they hadn't been touched at all in the hours (or days, or _weeks_ , in one case) between delivery and retrieval. It's like the man is only _pretending_ to do his job, but if he's not doing the work that he says he came to do, then what exactly is he doing instead?

Zuko wants to find out, but there's no way that Colonel Shinu would allow a search of Minister Sota's office and quarters without really good reason, and simply because the man is acting suspicious is not a good reason.

Six weeks after Minister Sota's arrival, Zuko is called to Colonel Shinu's office ten minutes before light's out. He enters the office to find Commander Toshiaki is already there, and Zuko freezes. Is this it? Almost a year of training and living with the Yuyan Archers, and _now_ they decide to kick him out? Will he be able to say goodbye to his squad, and Master Ryoichi, and the rest of his friends? Will he be able to keep his weapons––the bow he's finally able to shoot with consistent accuracy, the dual dao that had appeared on his bunk a week after joining Chihese Squad, the four sets of throwing knives he'd received for his fifteenth birthday? He's much more confident in his ability to care for himself than he was a year ago, but… he loves living at the Stronghold. He doesn't want to leave.

He doesn't want to be alone again.

He doesn't realize that he's hyperventilating until Commander Toshiaki's hands land gently on his shoulders and his dark Yuyan eyes meet Zuko's own bright gold.

_**Peace, Cadet Zuko,**_ he signs, movements slow and easy. _**Nothing is wrong. The Colonel and I have a mission for you.**_

Well now Zuko feels really stupid. With a sharp mental shake, he forces his dry mouth to swallow, and bows with the Flame in salute to the Colonel. The Colonel returns the salute with a much shallower bow.

"Commander Toshiaki tells me that you're the most skilled infiltrator he's seen in several years," the Colonel begins, standing at parade rest with his hands behind his back. "You originally entered this facility in the back of a supply cart, correct? And then there's the matter of the tank that mysteriously ended up on the roof of the Central Tower several weeks ago, but since no one has seen fit to come forward to take responsibility for that incident, it is merely speculation and not worth wasting time on." The Colonel's expressionless mask cracks with a small smirk, and Zuko fights down the urge to blush and merely blinks in return, not twitching from his own parade rest.

The Colonel goes to sit at a low table where tea is laid out. "At ease, both of you."

Zuko and the Commander both sit at the table, and the Colonel pours tea for the three of them. Winter has arrived again, and Zuko wraps his hands around the cup and savors the extra warmth.

"I'm sure you've noticed our esteemed guest, Cadet Zuko?" He asks.

Zuko nods, and almost lets go of his teacup to sign before remembering himself and gripping it tighter.

"You have permission to speak freely, Cadet." Colonel Shinu's tone is knowing, and Zuko is sure that he's hiding a smirk behind his cup.

Still nervous, Zuko slowly raises his hands. _**With all due respect, Colonel,**_ he signs, just barely remembering to use the proper sign for "commanding officer" instead of the teasing slang the Archers use outside the Colonel's presence, _**for all that the esteemed minister is rarely seen outside of his assigned quarters and office, it would be hard to miss his presence.**_ He does his best to keep his face as serious and professional as possible, so that they don't think he's trying to be impertinent, but Commander Toshiaki's lips twitch anyway, and Zuko feels his shoulders tighten.

The Colonel raises an eyebrow. "I have a feeling that I'm going to regret allowing you to speak freely," he says, but this time he doesn't hide his small amused smile behind his teacup.

Commander Toshiaki places a soothing hand on Zuko's shoulder before signing, _**I know that you've been keeping an eye on the minister when you've had the opportunity. Please report your observations, Cadet.**_

Zuko is now really confused, but obeys the order. _**The minister rarely leaves his assigned office, and only to go to his quarters. He avoids letting anyone into his office without him being there, not even the custodians. He avoids socializing with anyone, even when it could be advantageous to him. It's like… he's hiding here. Not just hiding something, he's taking advantage of the Stronghold's security to hide himself.**_

Now the Colonel's amused smile has turned surprised and impressed, and Zuko doesn't try to stamp down the pleased flush he feels, taking a sip of the tea. It's not quite as good as what Zuko remembers of Uncle’s brews, but it's warm and he feels awkward just holding the cup.

“Very perceptive, Cadet,” the Colonel praises. “Minister Sota has been acting quite suspiciously, and I agree that he’s definitely hiding something. However, I can’t order a search of his office based only on suspicious behavior. And I don’t want to spook the man into doing something foolish by making it obvious that I suspect him. Which is why I asked Commander Toshiaki to suggest someone who could be counted on to make a _discreet_ investigation of the minister's office, and report on what they found."

Zuko nearly chokes on his tea. Before now, his missions for Commander Toshiaki have been mere exercises to pinpoint and rectify issues with the Stronghold's internal security. This is _real_ espionage, and something entirely different.

And yet… if the Commander hadn't called him into this meeting, he probably would've resorted to something like that anyway. Over the past month and a half, more letters have arrived about the surviving families of the 41st Division not receiving their due compensation, and the overall tone of the letters has been increasingly frustrated and desperate. It can't be a coincidence that this suspicious-acting Finance Ministry official shows up just as this issue is gaining traction with the population. He doesn't know if the Colonel and the Commander are aware of the situation with the 41st's survivors' compensation, and he doesn't want to bring it up without proof, but this is the perfect opportunity to find out if there actually is something behind his suspicions without potentially alienating his commanders.

Zuko bows with the Flame. _**I am honored by the confidence Commander Toshiaki has in me,**_ he signs.

_**My confidence is well deserved,**_ the Commander replies with a warm smile.

"I understand if it takes you some time to prepare and perform the task, but I'd like you to keep in mind that your target could decide to vacate the Stronghold at any moment," the Colonel says. "Commander Toshiaki is going to let your squad leader know that you've been tapped for a mission at my request, but changing your duty roster in any way might trigger suspicion in the target."

_**I understand, sir,**_ Zuko replies, completely unsurprised.

"Excellent, I look forward to your report. Dismissed, Cadet."

Zuko stands and bows with the Flame again, before turning on his heel and marching out of the office. He's got work to do.

It takes another week to do his surveillance and formulate his plan. Some careful questioning of the custodial staff reveals that despite his apparent paranoia, Minister Sota keeps to a rigid schedule: rise at two hours past sunrise and go immediately to his borrowed office, eat all three meals at his desk, loom over the custodial staff as they work, and at an hour before midnight return to his quarters. It's the period of time between the hour before midnight and sunrise that interests Zuko––that seems to be the only time all day that Sota vacates the office, and therefore is the best time to enter and perform his search.

As much as it puts him on edge, he schedules the operation for the next new moon, two weeks after his meeting with the Colonel and Commander. He watches the target even more closely in the interim, hoping to get some warning as to whether the coward is going to bolt, but Sota seems firmly intrenched and disinclined to go anywhere.

The night of the new moon arrives, and Zuko slips out of the Yuyan dorm and to the bathroom. It takes him mere moments to transform from bedraggled teenager in dark pajamas to charcoal-colored shadow in a blue mask.

The lights in the corridors of the Stronghold are almost entirely extinguished, in respect to Agni’s slumber, and most firebenders would be hard-pressed to find their way without much more light than is available. But shadows have always been Zuko’s friends, both Before and After, and he slips in and out of them silently, with the ease of long practice.

He arrives at the target’s borrowed office with ten minutes to spare. He spends them crouched just around the corner, eyes closed, waiting patiently for the target to emerge.

Sota does, at precisely an hour before midnight, slamming the metal door shut with a clang that echoes down the corridors and alerts the entire Stronghold that he’s turning in for the night. His heavy footsteps stomp in the opposite direction of Zuko’s location, and he can’t decide for a moment if Sota is really that arrogant or if he’s just a complete idiot. Could be that he’s both.

He gives the moron fifteen minutes to remember something he’d forgotten and return for it. When he doesn’t, Zuko strides forward silently and tries the door. It opens easily, and while Zuko appreciates not having to pick the lock, he puts another tally in the "Sota's an idiot" column.

The office he enters is cluttered with scrolls and ledgers, and for a moment Zuko despairs of actually finding anything in the mess. Then he remembers the box that Sota had arrived with, and decides to start there. It takes some fancy footwork to weave around the stacks of paperwork and books without disturbing anything, but he has the time to be careful.

He finally finds the box in honestly the _stupidest_ place––under the desk. There's another check for the "idiot" column. Maybe two checks, since the office comes equipped with a safe that Zuko still needs more practice to crack. He should probably check the safe anyway, just to be thorough.

_Focus, dum-dum_ , Zuko chides himself, and studies the box, memorizing its position before he moves it. It's the ugliest thing he's ever seen, glossy red lacquer painted all over with gilded phoenixes and covered in shiny brass hardware. It would look right at home in a stuffy noble's mansion, and here in the utilitarian Stronghold it sticks out like a sore thumb. It's also got a massive iron padlock on it, which just screams "OPEN ME, I'M IMPORTANT".

He's just about to slide the box out from under the desk when a noise out in the corridor makes him freeze. Footsteps. Not the arrogant stomping of Sota, thank Agni, and a Yuyan would never announce himself so obviously, not even that moron Zheng. A regular guard, then, doing his rounds. Zuko channels his frustration into the vertical leap he makes to catch hold of the exposed iron pipes near the ceiling, pulling himself up and stretching out along the length like a pygmy puma lounging along a tree branch. He breathes silently and waits.

The door opens, and the guard takes a step inside, glancing around, before exiting and closing the door again. Zuko makes a note to suggest that the guards be reminded that they aren't to be making simple cursory searches on their rounds. That guard's bad habit is Zuko's gain, however, so he supposes he'll let it slide this time.

Once the guard's footsteps fade away, Zuko drops silently back down to the floor and pulls the gaudy box out from under the desk. The lock is hilariously simple to pick, and he has it done in seconds. He opens the box to find…

Scrolls.

For a moment his brain blanks on why a bunch of scrolls would be kept in a ridiculously ostentatious box secured with an iron padlock, and then he picks up one of the scrolls and unrolls it a bit.

_41st Division Roster. Commanding Officer: Major General…_

Zuko rolls the scroll back up and puts it back in the box. Another scroll lists the next of kin of every member of the 41st, with village names and home islands included, while others are covered in columns of numbers. Some of the columns don't add up. His rage is burning in his chest, but he carefully tucks a scroll dated a month before the minister showed up (it takes a month to sail from Capital Port to this area of the Earth Kingdom, so this scroll is probably the most recent Sota has in his possession) into his sash, and keeps his breath shallow to avoid giving his inner fire any more fuel.

Okay, he has the proof he needs, now he needs to get out of here and report to the Colonel. And quickly—the sun will rise in about two hours, and Zuko needs to be back in the Yuyan dorms before anyone realizes he’s gone.

Zuko has to use the ductwork to avoid the increasing patrols as the Stronghold wakes up. He takes a detour to Colonel Shinu’s office where he writes a brief outline of his findings and leaves it on the Colonel’s desk along with the stolen scroll. Almost as soon as he scrambles back into the vent, the Colonel himself enters the room. Zuko doesn’t wait around to see the man’s reaction.

He makes it back to the dorm with about ten minutes to spare. He’s so focused on trying to sneak back to his bunk without waking any of the light-sleeping Yuyan that he almost doesn’t notice the eyes boring into the back of his skull.

Almost. The hairs on the back of his neck raise, and he snaps around into an automatic firebending stance.

Commander Toshiaki raises a hairless eyebrow.

Zuko freezes in place.

The Commander smirks and silently strides out of the dorm.

Zuko shivers for a moment, then transforms himself back into sleep-rumpled teenager as fast as he can. He stuffs everything in his footlocker, yanks off his boots, and dives into his bunk as the gong signaling wake-up sounds.

A week later, Colonel Shinu orders an inspection of the entire Stronghold, and according to the base gossip chains, Minister Sota is caught with a box full of highly incriminating documents and a safe full of Fire Nation gold pieces. He, the documents, and the gold are put on a ship bound for the Fire Nation within the day.

Three months after Sota is shipped out, Zuko is called back to Colonel Shinu’s office and informed that Sota has been found guilty of embezzling from the Fire Nation Treasury. He had stolen the gold meant to be given to the surviving families of the lost 41st. The lost gold has been recovered, and Sota’s assets seized as well, and the survivors are scheduled to receive their payments by the spring equinox. Sota himself is banished to the colonies. Zuko’s not sure how he feels about that, but it’s not really any of his business, anymore, so he puts it out of his mind.

The Colonel congratulates Zuko on a job well done, and hands him a small but bulging money-sack. Payment, he says, for services rendered.

Zuko hides the sack in the deepest, darkest corner of his footlocker, and goes to hang out with the rhinos for a while.

_Mission accomplished._

That is the third time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA I'm so sorry I completely forgot!!! 😱
> 
> FANART
> 
> @adorkablememebean drew [Chihese Squad, Dr. Atsuko, and Master Ryoichi sketches!](https://awkwardpenguinproductions.tumblr.com/post/611153914992132096/more-arts)
> 
> @flameo-hotman drew [ROOF TANK!](https://flameo-hotman.tumblr.com/post/190978202375/roof-tank-roof-tank-roof-tank)
> 
> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THESE YOU GUYS!!!!
> 
> also, if anyone wants to make fanart for this series or anything else i've written (regardless of fandom), just link me on [Tumblr](https://awkwardpenguinproductions.tumblr.com) or leave me the link here so i can scream about it and post it for everyone to see! the tag on Tumblr is #dragon of the yuyan!

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to everyone for their kudos and incredibly kind comments! I have a hard time replying to comments, but I read and squeal over every single one!
> 
> Note 07/20/2020: I COMPLETELY FORGOT!!! 😱😱😱 Here's the pattern I based Pandan on: [CUTENESS](https://cholyknight.com/2020/01/10/duck-plush/)


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